About 820,000 deaths among infants could be prevented annually if the rate of breastfeeding by nursing mothers is improved around the world, says a report in Washington DC, United States.

The report published by Lancet Breastfeeding Series, said 87% of preventable deaths occurred among infants under the age of six months, it also said that nearly half of all diarrhea episodes and one third of all respiratory infections in infants could be prevented with reastfeeding. Also, the report continued, breastfeeding has positive effects on the health of mothers and for each of the first two years a mother breastfeeds over her lifetime, she decreases her risk of developing invasive breast cancer by six per cent, reduces ovarian cancer risk, boost productivity and lift up National and Global economy.

Longer breastfeeding is associated with higher performance on intelligence test among children and adolescents.